IPART is reviewing the maximum prices that Central Coast Council (CCC Water) can charge to provide water, wastewater, and related services. The new prices will apply from 1 July 2026.
We recognise that access to safe, reliable and affordable water at a fair price is critical to our communities, environment and economy.
Our price review focuses on promoting value for money, while aiming to help water businesses remain financially viable to efficiently deliver their services. Our aim is to hold CCC Water accountable in a way that delivers good short, medium, and long-term customer outcomes.
What we consider in our decisions
Under the IPART Act, when reviewing water prices, we are required to consider a range of matters, including:
- the cost of providing the service
- consumer protection against abuse of monopoly power by a water utility
- the need to promote competition in the supply of the service
- the need for greater efficiency in the supply of the service to reduce costs to consumers
- appropriate rates of return on public sector assets
- the social impact of our determinations
- the need to maintain ecologically sustainable development and protect the environment.
All stakeholders, including CCC Water’s customers and the broader community, will have several opportunities to have their say during this price review. We welcome your feedback on CCC Water’s pricing proposal and will consider any comments received via the survey, submissions to the Issues Paper or at the public hearing.
Stakeholders are encouraged to provide their input
We will conduct a detailed and consultative process and there will be multiple opportunities for stakeholders to provide their input.
- You can provide feedback and make a submission to our Issues Paper.
- You can make a response to our survey on CCC Water.
- You can register for our public hearing for this review.
- The Draft Report with our draft decisions will be released in March 2026. You can provide feedback on the Draft Report once it’s released and before our Final Report will be published in May 2026.
We will closely review CCC Water’s pricing proposal to determine whether it promotes value for money, is in the interests of customers, and delivers the outcomes customers need and want. We do this by examining proposed costs and carefully considering impacts of CCC Water’s pricing proposal on household budgets, service standards, the environment, and the economy more broadly.
The following links provide more information on how we review and determine water prices and about the water businesses that we regulate.
We value your feedback and will consider all submissions, survey responses, and comments you make when making decisions on the prices charged by CCC Water.
This review will affect CCC Water customers within the Central Coast Local Government Area. CCC Water provides water and wastewater services to around 140,000 homes and businesses to a population of more than 345,000 people.